Tag: sense and sensibility

Book review: Sense and Sensibility

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2025 is the year I have dedicated to reading and re-reading classics. I started the year with Pride and Prejudice because…well do I really have to explain myself 😅

But, whilst I’ve watched tv and film adaptations of Austen’s works, I’ve never actually read them!

So, as part of Canterbury Classics Instagram challenge for 2025, I will be reading ALL of Austen’s novels.

March’s read was Sense and Sensibility. Did I pick this up in April and finish it it May? Yes. But hear me out! Work was busy and I had about 5 books on the go…

How pretty is this cover 😍 I love the Chiltern covers. I think I’m going to collect as many as I can. TK MAXX is definitely the place to go for these! I paid £8 for this copy, and they retail for about £20. Absolute bargain.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

What does it mean to be sensible?

I was actually pleasantly surprised by this and the way it unfolded. I’ll be honest, it took me some time to get into it, and I was confused by the family dynamics initially. It holds very similar themes to Pride and Prejudice: bad boy love interest, to marry for love or to marry for money and plucky strong female leads.

Marianne. I actually adored her. I can understand why some people might get annoyed at her and her reactions to things, but I loved her character. Open to all of her emotions and feeling them deeply. She knew what she wanted and she wasn’t afraid to go after Willoughby. She is reshaped and redefined by her heartbreak and illness, which makes her a better person and ends up with Colonel Brandon. Hello! The better option of man, in my opinion. She definitely got the better man. I can understand why some people might get annoyed at her and certain characteristics and over dramatic nature, but she is true to her age and who she is.

Elinor bless her. Always in complete control of her emotions, a complete juxtaposition to her younger sister in pretty much every way. She’s never able to openly discuss her wants and desires, but she is the ultimate big sister: kind, trustworthy and compassionate. I do think she deserved better than Edward. He was not a well developed character, or man, that deserved her. Honestly, I kind of wanted her to end up with Colonel Brandon…

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

The bond between the sisters is the core of this novel, I found, not the romantic love. The way they consistently stick up for one another even when they’re fighting. They are both fighing their ‘sensibilities’ and rationale within society trying to make sense of it all. A true sister bond.

Having read this after Pride and Prejudice, I can tell that this was published first:

  • It doesn’t have the same depth of plot or character development (specifically with the men).
  • The pacing isnt great. There are long chunks of the novel where not much really happens, just various visits to family and London.
  • I felt like the ending was rushed.

However, it carries the classic Austen commentary on society and social constructs. She delves into themes or inner turmoil, morality and what it means to have sense and be sensible in a world hindered the growth of women. Austen allows the reader to become immersed in this world through the characters and understand how different people can interact and react to the same situations.

An enjoyable read, if albeit a long one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

xo

200 years of Austen❤

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Hello 🙂 This is just my little tribute to the brilliant writing of Jane Austen.

Today (or 2 days ago by the time this is posted😶) marks 200 years since one of the most influential women writers died. She, her novels, and characters have managed to stay in the public eye for 200 years. She even got put on the back on the £10 note😊🎉

Gosh, where do you even start with Austen? Her characters? Her mesmerising writing? Her scathing critique of social situations, and society? I’m not even sure to be honest. She’s spawned prequels and sequels, fan fiction, a web series, stage productions, podcasts, and multiple tv and film adaptations. Phew! Did I get everything? It’s like we can’t get enough of her, even 200 years later, constantly being drawn in and enticed by her witty language and bold protagonists. What’s brilliant is that her stories and themes still hold relevance today. Everybody still wants their Mr Darcy, or Colonol Brandon (I’m a hard-core Mr Darcy lover, particularly Matthew McFayden in the 2005 movie😍).

I read an interesting article today about how Austen is lost on teenagers because they can’t understand it. That the deep meanings, intricacies, and themes of her novels go over their heads. I’ve gotta say I completely disagree with this. It’s not that teenagers don’t understand it’s that most teaching methods won’t allow them to gain the understanding and nodules of from her novels. What makes Austen so relevant and brilliant is how accessible her writing is, whether that’s through her novels or the maaaany adaptations and interpretations (Bridget Jones ftw although I am partial to the Bollywood version of P&P😂).

Smart, funny, witty, passionate, and fiery, Lizzie Bennett is probably the most well known Austen heroine, and my favourite. But she’s not without her faults. Her pride and naivety get in the way of her judgement of both Wickham and Darcy. Its not until she’s forced to realise her mistakes that she re-evaluate all she knows and allows herself to become open to change. So beautifully written, Austen isn’t afraid to make her characters flawed, nd that’s what makes them human. No character in an Austen novel is perfect. Perfection for Austen is superficial only. No-one, no matter how much they claim, can attain that level of perfection because reality dictates it as unattainable. It’s down to this and Austen’s frankness of society that’s allowed her work to transcend over the past 200 years.

For me there’s an Austen novel and heroine for everyone. You just have to find it. So thank you Jane. Thank you for writing 6 of the greatest novels in the English language. But not only that. Thank you for being one of the pioneering women writers in a time where it was frowned upon. Thank you for showing and proving that some of the greatest stories come from those who are oppressed and that all they need is one chance to get their story out there.

xo